Sosa hits 600th homer in win against Cubs

Thursday

'I'm so proud," Sosa says upon joining an elite group of only four others ever to hit that many home runs.

Sammy Sosa hit the first home run of his career - against Roger Clemens in Boston - exactly 18 years ago today.

He recalled recently that at that time, his goal in baseball was “just to be a fifth outfielder” on the Texas Rangers.

On Wednesday, the former Cubs hero homered against the North Siders for the first time ever. It came in the fifth inning at Rangers Ballpark, and the Rangers went on to a 7-3 victory over the Cubs.

Oh, and it happened to be the 600th home run of Sosa’s major league career. The man who just wanted to be the fifth outfielder became just the fifth man in major league history to hit that many home runs.

Sosa took a 1-and-2 pitch from Jason Marquis and deposited it an estimated 395 feet away into the bullpen beyond the right-field fence. Rangers pitchers in the bullpen scrambled for the historic ball, and after Joaquin Benoit bobbled it, bullpen coach Dom Chiti nabbed it.

"It's something I can't explain - I'm so proud," Sosa said. "I know everyone was behind me and is proud. And getting 600 against the Chicago Cubs - I'm happy to have this opportunity. Hearing all of the fans was incredible. I'm never going to forget this night.

"It's special because a lot of people doubted me. They thought I would be home by now."

After Sosa’s signature homer hop, he thrust his fist in the air and went into his home run trot as many in the crowd of 37,564 cheered and gave him a standing ovation and chanted “Sam-my, Sam-my!”

As Sosa headed to home plate, he did his patented heart tap and kiss-blowing.

Sosa opened his career with the Rangers in 1989. After 25 games that season, he was dealt to the White Sox with Wilson Alvarez and Scott Fletcher for Harold Baines and Fred Manrique. Before the 1992 season, he was dealt to the Cubs for George Bell and Ken Patterson, and that started a 13-year run in which he hit a franchise-best 545 homers for the North Siders. He had a five-year span from 1998-2002 in which he hit 66, 63, 50, 64 and 49 home runs.

While Sosa had plenty of glory and enjoyed mammoth home run derbies with Mark McGwire, he also had some controversy in his Cubs career. He turned off some fans with his contract demands. He turned others off when he was caught using a corked bat in a 2003 game, for which he was given a seven-game suspension.

After falling out of favor with the North Siders brass when he left the final game of the 2004 season early and without permission, he was traded to Baltimore, where he had an unspectacular season (14 homers, 45 RBI) in 2005.

Sosa sat out the 2006 season, but has returned to his roots - the Rangers - and has been a productive hitter this season.

Homer No. 600 was his 12th of the year. The two-out solo shot also marked his 53rd RBI of the season.

Sosa has now hit home runs against every major league team. Marquis was the 364th pitcher against whom he has homered.

Sosa hit his 100th homer off Trevor Hoffman, his 200th off Steve Kline, his 300th off Robert Person, his 400th off Shane Reynolds and his 500th off Scott Sullivan.

Wednesday night, the Cubs got homers from ex-Ranger Alfonso Soriano (his 12th of the season) and from Koyie Hill (his first). Marquis gave up six runs (only four earned, thanks to three Cubs errors) on five hits. He walked four.

Mark DeRosa, who has been playing third base in the absence of injured Aramis Ramirez, was pinch-hit for in the top of the second. He had what was termed a “left eye issue.”

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